A DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR PESTICIDE ENVIRONMENTAL PREREGISTRATION ASSESSMENT

摘要

Many aspects of the fate and behaviour of organic compounds in the environment can be predicted from a few physicochemical properties. Such predictions give a useful scientific perspective that aids in evaluating a data package. A decision-support system called Physicochemial Evaluation - The Environment was developed for the pesticide registration authorities so that they can obtain a broad theoretical prediction of the behaviour of pesticides against which data provided by applicants for registration can be interpreted. The Windows based system provides data on sorption to soils, the translocation of compounds in plants, and their bioconcentration, volatilization, biodegradation and leaching to surface and ground-waters. A detailed description of sorption to soils is given. Innovative features include predictive routines for ionizable compounds and an empirical method for estimating the trace concentrations of compounds in lysimeter leachates. Operation of the system is fast, and can be learned quickly. A database assembled from the literature and containing most of the properties of over 800 compounds speeds up the preparation of input data. Additional information, such as soil texture diagrams, is stored in the context sensitive Windows Help system.